Italian air carrier Alitalia said on Tuesday it will operate non-stop service between Milan and Shanghai from May 1 to Oct. 24.

Expo 2015 will be held from May to October in Milan. Flights will depart the Italian city in the morning on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and arrive in Shanghai at midnight. Return flights will leave the Chinese city early the next morning.

The new flight will use 250-seat Airbus A330 aircraft.

The route will promote bilateral exchanges between Italy and China and bring more Chinese visitors to the Expo, said Alitalia CEO Silvano Cassano.